What Lovers Do
by heathersinclair1
Summary: Cordelia Wainwright has applauded Severus Snape from the shadows ever since her first year at Hogwarts. When she saves him from drowning, he seeks to learn more about his admirer. Over a few cigars, which Severus coughs more than breathes, and a few drinks, Severus invites her into his private chambers and into his life as more than just friends.
1. Chapter 1

I pulled Severus Snape out of the cold, murky Black Lake, his lungs full of the ebony water. I laid him on the dock, on his back and began pushing the water from his lungs. I pressed on his chest repeatedly as I placed my mouth to his and gave a quick breath every two seconds.

I forced the air into his dead lungs insistently until finally, he gasped very deeply into his lungs, turned onto his back again, and commenced coughing the remaining water from his lungs gratingly.

I patted his back vigorously until he finished coughing the water from his lungs. "Sir, are you all right now?" I asked, fidgeting.

Severus nodded and coughed, clearing his lungs. "Yes, Miss Wainwright. What happened?"

"You must have fallen in. I was out for an early morning jog and saw you floating face down in the water. It's a miracle I wasn't too late. Your lungs were completely full of water! You were dead!"

I burst into tears, shocking myself at my own intense emotion toward Severus.

He sighed. "Don't cry, Miss Wainwright. Everything will be okay. I'm fine."

I shook my head. "But you weren't fine! You weren't breathing!"

Severus coughed again. "I'm perfectly fine. You saved my life. Thank you."

I stood up, trembling.

He stood up as well, coughing sharply from the sudden movement.

Severus sighed loudly, filling his lungs amply. "Miss Wainwright, Cordelia...would you mind joining me this evening after dinner for drinks?"

I nodded, still shaken up. "Yes, Professor Snape."

He sighed again. "I believe, given the circumstances, you should call me Severus, Cordelia."

Severus smiled at me, showing off his teeth. I smiled back as we walked towards Hogwarts. He coughed a few times while we were walking back.

"I'm sure you still have water in your lungs, sir." I commented.

Severus sighed. "I assure you I am fine." He coughed a couple more times, drawing out his lungs.

He looked at me. "Cordelia, are you worried about me? Is that why you keep urging me about my lungs?"

We were at the gates to Hogwarts now. There was a thorny silence until Severus broke the calm with a cracking sigh. "You will have to tell me sometime, Cordelia. You cannot hide your endearment from me forever."

He sighed again, letting the air rush from his lungs. "I shall see you this evening."

With one last look at me, he disappeared into the castle, his onyx robes brimming abaft him elegantly. I rolled my eyes and went inside.

That evening at dinner, I noticed Severus staring at me from the High Table. He sighed dolefully and continued eating.

A few minutes later, I glanced up to see Severus leaving the Great Hall. He was coughing violently as he passed my table.

I got up instantly, following behind him. As soon as I reached the corridor I heard bitter coughing in the distance, moving toward the dungeons.

I chased after the sound until I reached Severus's chambers. He was coughing quite deeply inside the room.

I didn't even knock. I just barged in, concerned. Severus coughed critically, his lungs augmenting enormously, struggling to breathe.

I patted his back diligently until he desisted coughing. "What happened, sir? Why were you coughing so violently?" I asked, distraught.

Severus coughed, clearing his lungs. "I couldn't breathe." He sighed. "Why do you continually try to help me, Cordelia? Haven't I ever humiliated you in class or given you detention, something?"

I flinched. "No. You've never mistreated me."

Severus let out a voluminous sigh. "Would you like a cigar?" he asked, opening a black box of fine London cigars.

"No, sir." I refused. He pulled out one and brought it to his lips, striking a match and lighting it. Severus inhaled profoundly, filling his lungs completely with smoke.

He coughed destructively for a moment, his lungs rebuffing the thick, inky smoke. Severus raised a fist to his lips, coughing and compassing out his lungs.

"Are you okay?" I asked gingerly.

He nodded, coughing a couple more times before sighing. Severus plopped down next to me on his green leather couch and lifted my chin to meet his tender eyes. "I suspect that you love me. You've been very gracious to me, Cordelia. I owe the very breath in my lungs to you. Thank you."

He swooped down and claimed my lips, jerking me into a strong kiss and boosting effectively. As the kiss ended, he gasped, deepening his lungs entirely to the bottom.

Severus erupted into an interval of potent, broad coughs spreading into his lungs. He gasped hysterically, attempting to capture more air in his starving lungs.

I soothed his back muscles as he coughed, attempting to breathe. "Severus, you must calm down. Take a deep breath."

Severus took a deep breath, and sighed it out of his lungs thoroughly. "You're right, Severus. I love you very much." I confessed.

He coughed for a moment before looking at me and sighing. "I love you, Cordelia. I would be at the bottom of the Black Lake right now, my lungs suffused with that awful charcoal water, had you not saved my life. Thank you, again."

Severus sighed and went to pour two glasses of wine. He handed me one when he finished. I lit another cigar for him as he puffed on it, inhaling the smoke into his lungs once again.

He blasted into a massive coughing fit, his lungs exhausting the smoke redundantly. Severus sighed and respired the cigar contents into his protesting lungs yet again.

He coughed a few times, not as intensely, and sighed, looking at me. "Stay with me, Cordelia. I need you identically with the air embedded in my lungs." He coughed, clearing his lungs deeply.

I smiled as he grabbed my hand, leading me to his bedroom. I hesitated. "Why do you smoke when you know your lungs can't hold it in?"

Severus sighed. "I enjoy it." We got in his bed and he rammed his large cock into me repeatedly. He suddenly disrupted into a huge coughing tantrum, the air accumulating into his lungs sternly.

I watched him in concern as he coughed. I began brushing his back until the relentless coughing eased and died eventually.

"I love you, Severus." I soothed, caressing his back muscles, which had stopped convulsing finally.

Severus sighed, and buried his cock deep inside my walls. I screamed out in lust until we both climaxed, breathing hard. Severus coughed, clearing his lungs and kissed me. "I love you, Cordelia."


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Severus still seemed grateful for what I had done. I questioned everything within the past day or so, wondering if it was real or all a dream. It didn't seem like a real possibility that he loved me.

Severus was already gone to breakfast when I awoke. I dressed and went to the Great Hall. When I sat down, I looked up and saw him watching me again as yesterday.

I shook my head. I was still in shock as to why he would be so kind. The Potions Master was never cruel to me before. I was not bad in his class either. I made straight Outstandings. I wondered if he only hated the students who failed at potion making.

Severus sighed, looking down at me from his seat next to Dumbledore.

"I noticed you have taken a particular interest in Miss Wainwright, Severus." Dumbledore stated, looking down at me as well.

The Potions Master turned to the Headmaster. "This would be best spoken in private, Headmaster."

"I trust you will speak to her first, Severus. I am certain you will handle the matter with care." Dumbledore smiled knowingly.

I grew nervous seeing the exchange between the two up at the High Table from my seat.

I saw Severus sigh again before he left his seat and make his way out of the Great Hall. When I was finished, I left also and went to meet him before class. Severus was in his storeroom with his back turned to me as I entered the classroom.

He turned around with a few ingredients ready to brew something. "Miss Wainwright, I did not expect to see you so soon."

"Are we back to the formalities so soon?" I raised an eyebrow. "Professor."

Severus sighed deeply. "Cordelia, I am extremely grateful to you for everything you have done for me. I have thought this situation out in my head volumes of times." He gave me a crestfallen look. "I wish to be with you. I love you. I do not know what else to do. The Headmaster already knows."

"Does he know that I saved your life?" I pressed.

He sighed loudly. "Not yet. But he will." Severus placed the ingredients down on a table next to the cauldron. "Would you do me an enormous favor and brew some Amortentia? It is for a class and I am going to speak with the Headmaster now."

"Yes, of course I will." I promised.

He must have sensed my discomfort because he swooped down and kissed me deeply. I didn't want to break the kiss. Severus cupped my face as he pulled away.

He took a deep breath and let it out in a heavy sigh. "I shall return."

"Calm down." I smiled. "Don't be so tense before you go to see him. Here." I came up behind him and massaged his back as he breathed. "Inhale."

Severus complied and inhaled deeply.

"Exhale."

He sighed the air out of his lungs.

"Better?"

Severus turned and pecked my lips quickly before giving me an appreciative look. "Yes, much. Thank you, Cordelia."

I beamed at him. "It'll do your heart wonders."

Severus opened the door and left to meet Dumbledore.


	3. Chapter 3

Severus breathed deeply the entire walk to Dumbledore's office. _Inhale_. He breathed the air into his lungs. _Exhale_. He sighed the air out of his lungs. The Potions Master felt much less tense when he arrived.

"Severus..." Dumbledore greeted the black clad man. "Would you care for a lemon drop?"

"No. Thank you, Headmaster." Severus refused, sighing. He would never accept one of those.

"Shall we get down to business then, my boy?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Yes, we shall. My relationship with Miss Wainwright is that of a professional nature...or it was until yesterday. She saved my life. I was walking along the Black Lake yesterday morning and a noise startled me. I lost my balance and fell. She jumped in after me. She said I was dead at the time." He sighed. "And now all of a sudden, I feel something I cannot explain. I love Miss Wainwright, Headmaster."

Dumbledore gave the dark wizard a extremely grave look. "And she feels the same as you, Severus?"

Severus crossed his arms. "Yes...she claims to, and very much."

The Headmaster sighed. "You deserve happiness, Severus. If ever I saw someone who needs love in their life, it is you. You will not find it alone."

The professor exhaled. "Why of all of the men at Hogwarts did she press her lips to mine after swimming down to the bottom of the Black Lake and give me the kiss of life?"

"Because Severus, you're the one who needed saving." Dumbledore replied wisely.


	4. Chapter 4

Severus was in a cheerful mood on the way back to his classroom. That is, until he saw the thick pink smoke billowing from the open door. He coughed violently as he made his way through the pink-purplish haze. "Cordelia!" Severus yelled between coughing. I was by the cauldron at the front of the room when he spotted me through the rosy cloud.

"Scourgify!" Severus practically spat as he waved his wand at the cauldron and everything was cleaned.

"I'm sorry, Severus." I said apologetically. "I was trying to help clean a few things and keep an eye on it at the same time."

He coughed, giving me an icy glare. "You know you must pay attention while brewing. Any mistake, whether small or large could be your **_last_** , Miss Wainwright."

I started to leave when Severus reached for my shoulder. "Forgive my temper, Cordelia. You know how I feel about you. Potion making is an art you excel at in my class."

"No, I don't know." I retorted back.

Severus sighed. "I told the Headmaster you saved my life. I do love you, Cordelia."

"I love you too, Severus." I kissed him quickly.

Severus coughed, clearing his lungs. "Will you stay?"

"Are you okay, Severus?" I asked with concern. There was still smoke in the classroom.

"I shall be much better once this smoke has cleared." He coughed again, waving the white smoke from his face.

"I should go."

The professor sighed, getting out another cauldron. "Stay and brew another batch for me under supervision, of course."

"Here." I stopped him, placing my hands on his back.

Severus looked at me curiously. "Yes?"

"Inhale."

He gave me a defiant stare but obeyed, inhaling deeply into his lungs.

"Exhale."

Severus sighed heavily from his lungs.

"I know you feel better, so you may as well admit to it."

"Yes." He did the exercise a few more times and I massaged his back.

"Can I make it up to you?"

"What?" Severus asked.

"For not watching the cauldron."

He sighed. "You have done more than enough, Cordelia. You are already helping me a great deal."


End file.
